Until Her - Ami Van Page 0,46

was last here. And even her meals have been more for sniffing than feeding according to Marcus.

He knows his brother was only looking out for the family but he should have taken more consideration for her recovery. Oh, who the fuck is he kidding? Chase doesn’t consider anyone’s feelings especially if it comes to the well-being of his family.

He steps into the bedroom and finds her curled up in bed.

At first, he thought she was sound asleep. Until he sees her staring at the ceiling, blinking now and then. She’s so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice how close he was standing to the bed. It wasn’t until he starts taking off his suit jacket that she speaks.

“I…I don’t know if I can—” she says as he climbs into the bed.

It’s mid-afternoon and bed isn’t a place he’s normally in at this time of day. But if it’s where she’s at, then he finds it’s where he wants to be.

“Can’t what?” he cuts her off. “I’m not here for that,” he tells her.

It cuts that she thinks he’s only here to fuck her. He can’t deny that he wants to but he can control his urges. Then again…why wouldn’t she think that? Has he shown her that he’s interested in anything else other than sex and information?

No. He hasn’t.

Wait…is he interested…in more?

That makes him feel something.

Empathy and compassion aren’t something he’s accustomed to especially towards women. Women have their purpose. He gets what he wants to appease his needs and then he moves on. No female comes into his immediate circle. No female is given that much trust, not even Daisy. Every woman is kept at arm's length.

Daisy had been the closest and not by choice. But because he’d fucked up and let her put her own rubber on him, he’s lived and learned from that lesson. He may have gotten Jasmine out of it but never again.

Again…until her.

Ariana had him lose all control their first time and every time after that. She’d never spoken about it or questioned it which again…makes him feel something.

Unease. How many others have there been? Going raw…filling her and using her up.

He grinds his teeth until he knows she can probably hear him doing so.

He relaxes his jaw just to clench his hands in fists around the duvet. He’ll spend the rest of his life killing every single bastard that’s touched her. Maybe he’ll kill any motherfuckers who touched her even with her permission also.

What the fuck? Did he just say the rest of his life? Where in the fuck did that come from?

He can’t seriously be subconsciously having these kinds of thoughts about her so soon. He has a family to take care of and a daughter to raise. Bringing a drug addict, recovering or not, into her life is the last thing he should be doing.

But everything inside of him is telling him that he can’t let Ariana go. Even if he can say the words out loud, he doesn’t know if he’d be able to sever the connection that’s somehow formed between him and Ariana. It’s a connection that is steadily growing. And to see Jazzy forming a connection with her can only make him appreciate this woman more.

Jasmine. He sighs out loudly.

His daughter comes first. She will always come first. Isabella can go fuck herself if she thinks she’s going to high-hand Jazzy’s upbringing like she thinks she’s going to. Boarding school? He’d make Isabella disappear quickly before that shit happens. Romano or not.

Something tells him that the subject of his daughter will always be an issue with Isabella. That woman doesn’t seem to give a shit about Jazzy.

“Did you think I passed you off to my brother?” he asks before his mind starts drifting into angrier thoughts.

She doesn’t answer but he can feel her tensing up next to his side.

“I wouldn’t do that,” he tries to reassure her. His tone sounds angrier than reassuring though.

“Besides, Chase and I don’t share. He’s only shared with Carter, our cousin. And I’ve only shared with Derrick. And if you think Derrick is going to be able to get past Stella to do anything with you, then you’re clearly on drugs,” he says jokingly to lighten up the mood.

At least, he tries to.

He knows he’s succeeded when he feels the bed vibrating from her trying to conquer her laugh. He grins and finds himself relaxing beside her even more.

Regardless of what Chase thinks of Ariana, never once did he question her